1.—Field of the Invention
Embodiments described herein relate to the field of managing information handling systems. More particularly, embodiments described herein are related to the field of switch fabric architectures for use in information handling systems.
2.—Description of Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use similar to financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
State of the art information handling systems and networks include switch fabrics having a physical portion with a plurality of switching devices including physical ports and connections. In addition to the physical portion, state of the art systems may have a virtual portion with a plurality of virtual elements including virtual switches. Virtual switches include software control logic to switch data packages between virtual servers on the same physical server or between virtual servers on the physical server and entities outside of the physical server, according to a pre-established set of rules. These virtual elements or switches are typically controlled by a virtual machine manager (VMM), which is separate from the physical portion in the network. Any service deployed in a data center may need to use both physical and virtual portions of the network in the data center therefore proper and consistent configuration in both portions is critical for the fulfillment of the service.
What is needed is a method and devices for managing an information handling system that includes a switch fabric having a physical component and a virtual component.